I
n every sense of the word, Deana Saukam
the duo met up with Peggy Markel, a Southern-born
is on an epic journey. Beginning last fall,
culinary anthropologist who has spent more than
the social media maven (her Instagram
two decades leading cultural tours around Morocco
handle @faimfatale has 21K followers
and Italy with her company, Peggy Markel’s
and counting) and Food + Wine contributor began a
Culinary Adventures. (Like Saukam, who splits her
six-month sojourn that had Saukam researching her
time between Paris, France and Austin, Markel has
cookbook in Cambodia, visiting museums in New
homes in both Florence, Italy and Denver.)
York City, dining at Paris’s most divine restaurants and living alone in a isolated villa in Bali.
For Saukam, it was a chance to learn from a master, a woman who has built a career around
For Saukam, traveling is a compulsion born out of
examining the connection between culture and
a need for perspective. “Travel is important on many
cuisine. Explains Saukam, “[Peggy] has been doing
different levels,” says Saukam. “For me, it helps
this for so long and I was interested to see her
me realize that the world is a really big place. And
methods and ways. It was inspiring to get out of
whatever it is that’s bothering you, if it’s a negative
my own bubble of traveling by myself and see how
thing, the world is bigger than you.”
someone else is doing it.”
At age 33, Saukam is redefining her role in the
Together, the women traveled from the desert
world of travel and culinary education. A self-
to the sea to the Atlas Mountains, examining the
proclaimed ambassador of Austin, Saukam is taking
terrain, meeting the people and learning the history
the insights she learned as a partner in the qui and
of this African nation. In this photo essay, they
East Side King empires, and creating a career that
share their deeply personal experiences and give
crosses cultures and inspires a deeper love of travel.
an insider’s look into one of the most buzzed-about
In February, she decided to join her friend, photographer Stephen Smith, in Morocco. Together,
travel destinations right now.